Strawberry Rhubarb Scones (gluten-free, vegan)

Last year my mom-in-law kindly sent me part of one of her rhubarb plants so I could start growing the pretty pink and green vegetable in my own yard. I've always loved rhubarb; its mouth-puckering tartness signifies the coming of summer and is so delicious baked into pies and muffins and crisps. Last week while I was doing some spring gardening, I was happy to see that the little rhubarb plant was happy and thriving in its new home, and there were some stalks almost ready to be picked and enjoyed. This fact definitely called for some baking in the near future!

I wanted to try something different than my usual rhubarb recipes, so today I decided to create some scones with rhubarb and strawberries baked into them. The scones I made are loosely based on this recipe from Elana's Pantry, which is one of my family's favourites for special occasion breakfasts.

I even had a little helper while I baked this morning. (Well, sort of. Iris's idea of helping is leaping from the back of a kitchen chair onto the counter, knocking things over, then sprawling out in the middle of everything so she can get a close up view of what's happening... and hopefully something to eat in the process!)

Who, me?

Iris didn't get to eat any scones, but the human members of my family all enjoyed them very much!

Strawberry Rhubarb Scones

3 cups blanched almond flour
2 tbsp arrowroot flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup thinly sliced strawberries
1/3 cup thinly sliced rhubarb
natural sliced almonds, for sprinkling on top

Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, arrowroot flour, cinnamon, and baking soda. Whisk together the almond milk, maple syrup, and vanilla in a smaller bowl, then add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well, until a slightly crumbly dough forms. Fold in the strawberries and rhubarb.

Knead the dough briefly with your hands to make it all stick together in one ball, then place it on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Press the dough into a flat disk that is about an inch and a half high. Using a sharp knife, cut the disk into eight triangles. Separate the triangles from each other on the pan, and sprinkle the top of each one with sliced almonds. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown. Let them cool slightly, then serve.

Delicious scones like these ones, filled with sweet/tart fruit and toasted almonds, make a wonderful breakfast treat or a perfect accompaniment to an afternoon cup of tea.

What is your favourite way to use rhubarb this time of year?


This post is linked to Gluten-Free Wednesdays.